FRESH BLOODSHED IN PLATEAU: WHO WILL DEFEND THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE?

 

As the Voice of the People, I must speak when silence becomes betrayal.

Another dark day has fallen upon Plateau State. In a chilling attack on Sha village, Bokkos Local Government Area, three innocent family members were murdered in cold blood by unknown gunmen. This was not a random act. It was part of a deeply rooted, orchestrated pattern of violence targeting indigenous communities. These are not the casualties of war—they are the victims of governmental failure, negligence, and silence.

WE CONDEMN THIS ACT OF TERROR

As a concerned citizen and advocate of the oppressed, I strongly condemn this gruesome killing. No community deserves to live under constant fear. No child deserves to grow up hearing gunshots more often than laughter. Yet this has become the bitter reality in Plateau and across many parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

THE FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS

1. PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT: A WEAK RESPONSE

Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s words of comfort, though appreciated, have become predictable and powerless. The people of Plateau do not need speeches after every bloodbath. They need security before it happens. They need decisive leadership. They need action. How many villages must be attacked before security structures are overhauled? How many lives must be buried before the governor rises with the boldness of a wartime leader?

2. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: A DEAFENING SILENCE

The Nigerian Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has shown shameful disregard for the cries of Nigeria’s indigenous people. These attacks are not new, and they are certainly not random. They bear the clear hallmarks of ethnic cleansing, land occupation, and religious persecution—yet, the response from Abuja has been lukewarm at best and complicit at worst.

What is the duty of a government if not to protect life and property? When bandits, terrorists, and militias strike with ease, and security forces are either absent or indifferent, then the government has lost its constitutional and moral legitimacy.

HOW MANY MORE MUST DIE?

Let it be known: this is no longer about insecurity—it is about survival. Plateau’s indigenous people are being wiped out while the world watches and Nigeria’s leaders play politics with lives. Villages are under siege. Children are orphaned. Widows are multiplying. Yet, no state of emergency has been declared. No serious military action has been taken. No justice has been delivered.

WHAT WE DEMAND

As a voice for the people, I demand the following:

Immediate arrest and prosecution of the killers.

Permanent deployment of well-armed security personnel in vulnerable communities.

State-funded compensation for all affected families.

Declaration of all recurring attacks as acts of terrorism.

Creation of local or state policing to secure indigenous territories effectively.

NEVER AGAIN

The blood of our people will not be forgotten. Their voices will not be buried in silence. If the government refuses to act, then the people must rise to hold their leaders accountable through every legal, civil, and constitutional means.

We mourn—but we will not keep quiet.

We bleed—but we will not bow.

We are the voice of the people—and we will speak until justice reigns.